Gemma Reflects: The Challenges and Rewards of Volunteering on Aride Island, Special Reserve

Spending 12 weeks volunteering on Aride with ICS was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although challenging, it was also incredibly rewarding.
 
My days consisted mostly of assisting the rangers with routine tasks, such as monitoring seabird breeding success, beach patrol, invasive plant removal, launching and landing the boat, and data entry. I also participated in the Wright’s gardenia census and the wedge-tailed and tropical shearwater census.
 
It was a privilege to live on and contribute to such a well-preserved and important nature reserve. The abundance and diversity of wildlife on Aride are unlike anywhere else, along with the proximity to nature at all times, with the wildlife literally on your doorstep, and often inside the house too.

But what makes Aride so special, is the people who call this island home. The passion for conservation and extensive knowledge of the ICS staff, along with their generosity, is what made this such an enjoyable experience. The memories of the delicious creole food made and shared by everyone are some of my fondest, I still think about the lentils and barbecued freshly caught fish often.

Whilst Aride Island is undoubtedly idyllic, life is far from luxurious, and living conditions are basic.
However, the things that were challenging when I first arrived, such as the heat, mosquitos, lack of power and clean water, I soon got used to, and they became an everyday part of life.
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8 weeks into my stay, the solar panels were finally up and running, which greatly improved the quality of life on the island. This highlighted what a privilege it is to have constant and reliable electricity, and I have never been so appreciative of having a working fridge and ceiling fan.
 
The 12 weeks I’ve spent on Aride have flown by. At the beginning of my stay 12 weeks felt like a lifetime, but now I can’t believe it’s already come to an end.